Seat positioning mechanism



April 1, 1958 E. A. LEAvENGooD ETAL 2,829,002

SEAT PosIToNING MECHANISM Filed Sept. l5', 1955 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 A TTCRNEY April 1,1958 E. A. LEAvl-:NGOOD ET AL 2,829,002

Y SEAT POSITIONING MECHANISM Filed Sept. 15,1955 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 A j ATTORNEY April 1, 1958 E. A. LEAvENGooD ET`AL 2,829,002

SEAT PosITloNINc MECHANISM ATTORNEY y 2,829,002 SEAT PosrrIoNING MECHANISM Ernest A. Leavengood and Donald W. Severance, Lansing,

Mich., assignors to General Motors Corporation, Dee troit, Mich., a corporation of Delaware Application September 15, 1,955, Serial No. 534,522

6 Claims. (Cl. 296-45) I United States liatc'tfit*"O` y The seat positioning mechanism of this invention is v intended primarily for vuse in two-door vehicle body styles' having a rear seat anda power operated horizontally movable front seatincluding a tiltable seat back. ln the preferred embodiment of this invention, the scat positionin'g mechanism interconnectsl the horizontal power operating. mechanism for the front seat with the vehicle' doors and the tiltable seat back. Movement of either or both vehicle doors to open positionv causes the seat'v exit of a rear seat passenger whether the specilc object of this invention is to provide a vehicleV y front seat positioning mechanism for use in vehicle bodies v having a rear seat and power operated horizontally movable front seat including a tiltable seat back. f

"These and other objects of this invention will be readily apparentfrom the `following specification and drawings, in which: p v f' kligure y1 is a'perspective view of a vehicle embodying a seatlpositioning mechanism according to this invention;

,Figure 2'is a partial side elevational view ofthe front w seat of the vehicle shown in Figurel;

Figure/3 isy a circuit diagram of the seat positioning mechanism of this invention; and -4 'Figure 4 is a circuit diagram of al modified seat positioning mechanisml according to this invention.

Referring now to Figures l and 2 of the drawings, vehicle "10 includes front `right hand andr left hand doors 12 and-14, respectively, 5a rear seat 16, and a front seat 18 including a seat cushion 20 and n'glitqand` lefty hand seat backs' 22 and 24, respectively. The vseat cushion 20 is mounted on a support 26-,and the seat backs" 22 and 24 are mounted in frames 28 pivoted on support 26y at 30 to' permit the seat backs to move from a substantially upright position tor a-position overlying the seat cushion.`

Tlieseat shown isfof' the split back type which is commanly-'used in two-door body styles. In this type of seat, the seat-'back `is split in the middle of the seat or.

to Ione side of. the middleof the seat and each seat back portionr is independently tiltable from an uprightpositionto a position overlying `the seat cushion. The

rseat adjusting mechanism includes an upper track member 32,secu rcd to support 26and supported on a lower track member 34.by means of ball bearings or other `suitable anti-fric'tionmeans. The lower track 434 is secured to bas 36 supported at either end by yokes 3S and`40 pivotcd ice to the base at 42 and to brackets 44 at.V 46. Brackets 44 are lfixed to a` support 48 which is xed to the vehicle floor pan 50.V The seat, adjusting mechanism is the same on both sides of the seat and, therefore, only one such mechanism has been shownand described.

The upper and lower track members allow the seat to be moved horizontally forwardly and rearwardly with respect to the vehicle body. While any known type of power operating mechanism can be employed, a suitable poweroperating mechanism for moving the seat forwardly and rearwardly is shown in S. N. 395,822, filed December 2, 1953, Louis P. Garvey et al., assigned to the assignee of the present invention. Since the power operatingmechanism forms no part of the present invention, 'reference may be had to the above application for a full and complete description of a suitable mechanism. The power operated rmechanism shown in this application includes seat motors for moving the seat bothhon'zontally and vertically. However, it should be noted that the seaty positioning mechanismy of this inventionmay be used in conjunction with any vehicle seat which is power operated horizontally by a seat motor regardess yof whether the seat is power operated vertically or in any other manner.

ignition switch. When either or both of the vehicle doorsl is opened, vthe'seat positioning mechanism actuates the seat motor to move the seat rearwardly to allow the driver and front seat `passenger to easily leave the vehicle and to thereafter easily enter the vehicle. Tilting of either or both of the seat backs causes the seat positioning mechanism to actuate the seat motor to move the seat forwardly to allow `the rear seat passenger to easily leave the vehicle and to thereafter easily enter thevehicle. In both instances,kthe driver moves the rseat to the desired driving positionafterihe' enters the vehicle, since the seat positioning mechanism' does not lfunction to return the seat toits initial starting position.

Referring now toFigure 3 of the drawings, the circuit of the seat positioning mechanism will be described.,y

Conductor 60 connects a battery or other source of power l 62 with armature vtaof control relay 64 which may engage either contact 65 or contact 66. Conductor 68 extends from conductor 60 to the contact of the vehicle ignition switch and conductor 72 extends from the vehicle ignition switch to the coil of the control relay 64,

which is grounded. A conductor 74 extends from contact 65 to conductor76 which isconnected to the coil 78 and armature 80. of the seat "back controlled relay 82 andro coil 84 andarrnature 86 of the door controlled relay 88. A conductor extends from contact 66' to the ,manual seat switch 92. Conductor 94 extends from contactd of the manual seat switch to terminal 97l of the motor control relay 98and conductor 166 extends from contact 102 of the manualseat switch to terminalltlS of the motor control relay. A conductor 104 extends from conductor 68 to terminal 106 of the motor control relay.

The control relay 64 is controlled by the position of the ignition switch '7th, When the ignition switch is in ,ony

position,i the control relay disconnects battery 62 from the circuit of the seat positioning mechanism and connects the battery with theA circuit controlled by the manual seat switch 92.v Thislockl out provided by the ignition switch isa necessaryfsafety feature. Should the vehicle stop quicklyandoneff `the wfront seat backs tilt forwardly,

the circuit fof these'a't'positioning mechanism is not energizfed to".move/the'rseat'forwardly and pin the driver againstthe steering wheel.y Likewise, ify either` of the vehicleidoorsf'should be opened as the vehicle is moving,

The seat positioning mechanism of this invention inthe circuit of the seat positioning mechanism will not be energized to move the seat rearwardly to move the driver away from the steering wheel. The lock out will now be described.i

The battery or sourcel of power 62 is always connected" with contact k107 v ofy the ignition switch through conduc-l tors 60 and v.68. When the ignitionA switch 'is in. on position, contact 107 of `the switch is'connccted'with conductor 72 to energize the coil of'relay64` so that the relay armature 63 connects 4conductor llwith contact 66. Current can then tlow from battery 62 throughcondoctor-60, armature 63, contact 66,` and conductor to the manual seat switch 92 which controls the circuit to the motor control relay 98. Current cannot `floyiv from conductor 60 to Contact 65` which connectsgthe seatposi tioning circuit with the control relay since `the relay armature 63 is out of engagement with contact rlfhur's, in the on position of theignition switch, the circuit of "the seat positioning mechanism cannot be energized?" When the ignition switch is in off position, condnctors 68 andv 72 are not connected `tovenergize `the coil of control relay 64, and armature'63 of the control relay then engages contact 65. Current' can then ow from battery 62, through conductor llgarmature 63, contact 65, conductor' 74, and conductor 76 to the seat back and door controlled relays szandss.

The motor control relay 98 cnergizes` either` winding 108 or winding 110 of the reversible seat` motor'112` to" control the direction of rotation of the motor armatore and, thus, the direction of horizontal movement of' the seat. Since conductor 1,04 is always connected with battery 62, current can always ow to the motor control relay 98 regardless of whether the relay is controlledby the manual seat switch 92 or by the circuit of the seat positioning mechanism.

As has been previously stated, 'conductor 76 is connected to the coil 78 and armature 80 of the seatback controlled relay 82 and to coil 84 andv armature 86 of the door controlled relay 88. Conductor 114 extends from contact 116 to terminal 97 ofthe motor control relay and conductor 118 extends` from Contact 120 to,

terminal 103 of the motor control relay. Conductors 122 and 124 connect coil 78 of relay 82 with contacts126 and 128 of the right hand and left hand seat baclc switches 130 and 132, respectively, which are double pole double throw `switches actuated by tilting lmovement of the right hand and left hand tiltingseat backs 22 and 24. Switch 130 is mounted on the right hand seat back frame 28 with its contact in engagement with lthe upper 4track` 32, as shown Vin Figure 2, and switch 132 is mounted in the same manner on the left hand seat back frame. o.

A conductor 134 connects contact 136 of the right hand seat back switch with contact 138 of the left hand seat back switch, and a conductor 140 connects conductor 134with Contact 142 of the front limit switch 144 which is normally closed and grounded,` Referring now to Figure 2 of the drawings, the front limit switch 144 is mountedin a suitable manner on `hase 36 and is opened as the seat moves forwardly by a `lug 146 secured to the upper trackr32. A conductor 148 extends from the coil 84v of relay 88 to the back limit switch 150 which is normally closed. Referring now to Figure `2, the back limit switch 150 is mounted in a suitable manner on base 36 `and is opened as the seat moves rearwardly by a lug 152 secured to the upper track 32. A conductor 154 connects` contact 156 of the back limit switch with contact 160 of the left handseat back switch132. A conductor` 162 connects Contact 164l of the left hand rseat back switch with contact 166 of the right hand seat back switch130. A conductor 168 extends from contact 170 ofthe right hand seat back switch to contact 1629i. `the right hand door jamb switch 174 which is normally.' open and grounded and contact 176 of the left hand door jan-ib switch 178 which is also normally openand grounded.`

The righthand door jaxnbswitch is vmounted on the right hand door jamb 180, Figure l, and is closed when the right hand door 12 is opened. The left hand door jamb switch 178 is mounted on the left hand door jamb in the same manner ras the right hand door jamb switch and is also closed as the door is opened.

The operation of the circuit of the seat positioning mechanism will now be described. Assuming that the ignition switch is in olf position so that armature 63 of control relay 64 is in engagement with contact 65 and either or both doors is opened, a circuit will beacompleted, as follows: Current will tlow from contact 65 through conductor 74, conductor 76, coil 84 of the door`controlled relay 88, conductor 148, contact 156 of the normally closed back limit switch 150, conductor `154, contact 160 of the' left hand seat back switch 132, contact 164 of the switch, conductor 162, contact 166 of the right hand seat back switch 130, contact 170 of the switch, conductor 168, contacts 172 and 176 of the right and left hand door jamb switches 174 and 178, respectively, de-

pending on whether either or both doors i'sopen'ed, "'Ifhis'y will complete a` circuit through the coil 84, door con# trolled relay 88, and the relay armature 86 will lage rietracted to engage Contact 1,20 so that the motor control relay 98 will be energized through conductor` Y1,18 tostart the seat motor in the' desired` direction of rotation. A As` has been previously stated, when either or bothof the vehicle 'doors is opened,`the` seat will be moved Vrearwarily. i When the seat has reached its rearward, limit position, lug 152 on the upper track 32 will engage the switch contact of the back limit switch 15,0, to open this switch and break the circuit between conductors 148Y and to` deenergize the coil 8,4 of the door controlledrelay therebyst'op the motor as the solenoidarmyaturc is eX-` tended to break the circuit with contact 120. This.'

will remain in its rearward position after lthe driver or front seat passenger leaves so that when he againi enters the vehicle he can easily position himself (inthel sgat,"

Since the seat is in its rearward position tof open the back limit switch, opening movementl of the vehicle t u" when the driver or passenger reentei's the vehicleY wi not energize the seat positioning circuit. After the d Ahas entered the vehicle and closed the doors,`he can incite: the ignition switch to on position and then :nove

seat forwardly to the desired driving position F? at@ manual seat switch. As has been previously mentione movement of the ignition switch to l ergizes the circuit of the seat positioning mechants Assuming now that the ignition switch is in ,otf

these arm rests. Therefore, `it will be assumed that ,eitllxer` or both doors is opened before either or both front seat backs is tilted forwardly. When either of the frontseat backs is tilted forwardly, the right hand seat hack switch or the left hand seat back switch 132 establishes a connection between contacts 166 and 170 or contacts and 164. Currentwill then ow from Contact 65 through conductor 76,` coil 78 of the seat ha'ck controlled relay 82, conductor 122, conductor 124, contacts 126 and 128, either contact 136 or 138 or both, conductor 134,

conductor 140, and contact 142 of the forward limit switch 144 which is grounded and normallyclosed to complete the circuit. The coil 78 of the seat back con@ trolled relay 82 is then energized to retract armature 80" and establish current ow between conductor tact 116 to energize the motor control relay 98'th'rou'gh ..-besa @Passa conductor 114 to start the seat motor 112 to turn in the desired direction.

As has been previously mentioned, when either of the v seat backs is tilted forwardly, the seat motor 112 moves the seat forwardly. A s the seat moves forwardly to its forward limit position,'1ug 146 on the upper track 32 will engage the contact of the normally closed forward limit switch 144 to open the switch and `thereby deenergize the coil 78 of the seat back controlled relay to allow armature 80 to be extended'and break the circuit between conductor 76 and contact 116 and thereby deenergize the motor control relay 98 to stop the seat motor 112. The seat will remain in this forward limit position regardless of whether either vehicle door is opened until the seat back is again moved to its normal upright position. Since both the right and the left'hand seat back switches are in the circuit of the door controlled relay,

movement of the doors to open position will not estab-r lish the circuit between the coil 84 of the door controlled relay 88 and the right and left hand door jamb switches as long as either or both seat backs remain in a forward tilted position. v

As has been previously mentioned, in some current:` production vehicles the seat backs cannot be tilted for wardly until the doors are opened. If either of the doors is rst opened and a seat back is then tilted forwardly, the seat will not move to its rearward limit positionr since the circuit will be interrupted by the forward tiltingv of either of the seat backs. However, when either or both seat backs is tilted forwardly the circuit will be completed to move the seat forwardly to allow the rear seat passenger to leave the vehicle. Thus, it can be seen that the rear seat passenger does not have to wait until-the front seat reaches its rearward limit position before he can tilt a seat back to stop the rearward motion of the seat andenergize the seat motor to move the seat forwardly.

Referring now to Figure 4 of the drawings, a modified circuit of a seat positioning mechanism will be described for use in conjunction with a six-way power seat of the type shown and described in application S. N. 501,246, filed April 5, 1955, John Himka, assigned to the assignee of the present invention. In this six-way power seat, the seat motor is connected to the seat adjuster mechanism through a lead screw and a plurality of nuts positioned on the lead screw and clutchable thereto. In order to impart movement to the seat, one of the nuts must be clutched to the lead screw, and this clutching is accomplished through a solenoid. Figure 4 shows a circuit for actuating a solenoid to clutch one of the nuts to the lead screw to impart horizontal lforward and rearward movement to the seat. A conductor 184 extends from contact 186 to contact 188 and conductor 190 extends from conductor 184 to a solenoid 192 which is grounded. Other than this difference, the circuit is the same as has already been described. When the coil 84-of the door controlled relay 88 is energized to retract armature 86 and establish current ow between conductor 76 and contact 120, the solenoid 192 will bey energized through contact 188, conductor 184, and conductor 190 so as to clutch the one nut to the shaft to impart rearward movement to the seat. Since the seat back controlled relay is not energized, there will be no current ilow between conductor 76 and contact 136. If the coil 78 of the seat back controlled relay 82 is energized to retract armature 80 and establish current flow between conductor 76 and contact 186, solenoid 192 will be energized through conductors 184 and 19t) to clutch the one nut to the shaft to impart forward movement to the seat.

It will be noted that when the seat positioning circuit shown in Figure 3 is not used in conjunction with a power operating mechanism including a solenoid nut clutchable to a lead screw, contacts 186 and 188 and conductor 184 are unnecessary in the circuit. Since the door controlled relay and .the seat back controlled relay must be alternately and selectively energized, there is no current iiow lll in conductor 184. However, if both types of power operating mechanismare in production, the one shown .in

` application S. N. 395,822 using a motor driven screw jack y horizontally forwardly and rearwardly and vertically upwardly and downwardly, and the siX-way'power seats which are power operated horizontally and rearwardly with the front and rear edges of the seat also being power operated vertically upwardly and downwardly. Although the seat positioning mechanism has been described in conjunction with both four-way and six-way power seats, .it

can also be appliedto a two-way power seat which is power operated only horizontally forwardly and rearwardly, although it may be manually operated vertically or have no vertical adjust-ment.

The seat positioning mechanim of this invention 'is intended primarily for use in two-door style vehicle bodies since this type of vehicle usually employs a tilting split back seat. lt can be seen that the seat positioning mechanism greatly facilitates entrance and exit of both front and rear seat passengers and also includes ysafety features which are necessary. Thus, whenever the ignition switch is in on position, it is impossible to actuate the circuit of the seat positioning mechanism to move the seat and thereby impede the efforts of the driver. `Likewise, the seat motor cannot be operated by both the seat positioning mechanism circuit and the manual seat switch circuit since the ignition switch provides a lock out allow,-` ing selective and alternate operation of either circuit but preventing simultaneous operation.

While a specific embodiment of this invention has been shown and described, various changes and modifications may be made within the scope and spirit of the invention.

We claim:

1. In a vehicle body, the combination comprising, a door mounted on said body for swinging movement to open and closed positions, a seat structure mounted on said body for horizontal forward and rearward movement relative thereto and including a tiltable seat back, power operated means for moving said seat structure relative to said body, and control means responsive to swinging movement of said door and tilting movement of said seat back for controlling said power operated means, swinging movement of said door causing said seat structure to be moved in a horizontal rearward direction relative to said body and tilting movement of said seat back causing said seat structure to be moved in a horizontal forward direction relative to said body.

2. In a vehicle body, the combination comprising, a door mounted on said body for swinging movement to open and closed positions, a seat structure mounted on said body for horizontal forward andrearward movement relative thereto and including a seat cushion and a tiltable seat back movable from a substantially upright position to a position overlying said seat cushion, power operated means for moving said seat structure horizontally relative to said body, and control means responsive to swingingI movement of said door and tilting movement of said seat back for controlling said power operated means, swinging movement of said door causing said seat structure to be moved in a horizontal rearward direction relative to said body and tilting movement of said seat back causing said seat structure to be moved in a horizontal forward directilon relativer to said body, said controlmeans being responsive to swinging movement of said door only when said seat back is in said upright position. l

3. In a vehicle body, the combination comprising, a door mounted on said body for swinging movement to openvand` closed positions, a seat structure mounted on saidbody for horizontal forward and rearward movement relative thereto and including a seat cushion and a tilta'ole seatback movable from a substantially upright position to a position overlying said seat cushion, power operated means for moving said seat structure horizontally relative to said body, and control means responsive to swinging movement of said door and tilting movement of said seat b'acky for controlling said power operated means, swinging movement of said door causing said seat structure to be moved in athorizontal rearward direction relative to said body and` tilting movement of said seat bacia causing said seat structure to be moved in a horizontal forward direction relative to said body, said control means being responsive to swinging movement of said door when said seat back is in said' upright position and being responsive to tilting movement of said seat back when said door is in either of said positions. i

`4.1fln a vehicle body, the combination comprising, a door mounted on said body for swinging movement to open and closed positions, a seat structure mounted on said body for horizontal movement relative thereto between forward and rearward limit positions, power operated means for moving said seat structure relative to said bodybetween said limit positions thereof, and control means responsive to movement of said door for controlling said power operated means whereby swinging movement of said door to open position will cause said power operated means to move said seat horizontally rearwardly to said rear limit position thereof from any position 'aten mediatey said forward and rearward limit positions to facilitate seat passenger exit.

5. In a vehicle body; the combination comprising, a doormounted on said body for swinging movement to open vand closed positions, a seat structure mounted on said body for horizontal movement relative thereto between forward' and rearward limit positions, power operated means for moving said seat structure relative to said body between said limit positions thereof, and control means responsive Ito movement of said door for controlling said power operated means whereby swinging movement of saiddoor from closed to open position will cause said power operated means to move said seat horizontally rearwardly to said rear limit position thereof from any initial position intermediate said forward and rearward limit positions to facilitate seat passenger exit, swinging movement of said door from open to closed position bein g ineffective to return said seat structure to said initial position thereof.

6. In a vehicle body, the combination comprising, n door mounted on said body for swinging movement to open and closed positions, a seat structure mounted on said Vbody for horizontal forward and rearward move ment relativetthereto and including a seat cushion and a tiltable seat back movable from an upright position to a position overlying said seat cushion, power operated means for moving said seat structure relative to said body, and control means responsive to swinging movement of said door and tilting movement of said seat baci: for controlling said power operated means, said control means being responsive to tilting movement of said seat back to cause said seat to be moved horizontally forwardly relative to ysaid body regardless of the position of said door.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,919,210 Douglas July 25, 1933 2,587,679 Atkinson Mar. 4, i952 2,660,223 Appleton Nov. 24, 1953 

